During the 2012/13 financial year the Rainbow Fund gave out over £31,000 worth of grants to a wide range of local LGBT groups. The Fund receives money from fundraisers throughout the year to provide grants to local groups providing front line services to the local LBGT community. The Rainbow Fund ha
During the 2012/13 financial year the Rainbow Fund gave out over £31,000 worth of grants to a wide range of local LGBT groups. The Fund receives money from fundraisers throughout the year to provide grants to local groups providing front line services to the local LBGT community.
The Rainbow Fund has no salaries to pay, no expenses, no office costs and so all of its activists can wear the same ‘Volunteer’ badge at events. The only overhead relates to the safe receipt and fair distribution of grants by the Sussex Community Foundation, the group’s professional advisers.
The Rainbow Fund’s constitution ensures that donated funds are given out as quickly as possible after receipt, and usually within approximately four months.
Groups and projects funded in 2012/13 include Lunch Positive, LGBT Switchboard, Sussex Beacon, Allsorts, Radio Reverb’s Out in Brighton, LGBT Community Safety Forum, GEMS and the provision of maintaince funding for the AIDS Memorial.
Each group funded has to report on the outcomes of their grant, and how it benefited the local LGBT community.
Talking about how the funding benefitted their organisation, Helen Jones, Director of MindOut, said:
‘The Rainbow Fund has enabled MindOut to provide weekly support for 49 people over a year. The group is run by and for LGB&T people who experience mental health issues. With the Rainbow Fund grant, we are able to provide a safe, welcoming, space for people to share their experiences, give and receive support to each other. This is a vital opportunity for some very isolated people to build social networks, and a rare alternative to the commercial LGB&T ‘scene’.’
Feedback from users of the service says:
“.. a supportive space to breathe, a break from life, space to talk and think”
“I can express myself without being judged, empathy can go a long way”
“The groups are open, accepting, warm, friendly”
Rainbow Fund Chairman Paul Elgood, said:
“MindOut is an excellent example of how the money donated to the Rainbow Fund is put to good use benefitting the local LGBT community.
‘The money donated to the Rainbow Fund is given out quickly and on a needs-led basis for frontline projects.
“We have to keep encouraging our suspporters to fundraising otherwise there will be no money for the next round of grants, it really is as simple as that.
‘”n the coming months we are looking forward to events such as the Brighton Bear Weekend, Golden Handbags and Pride. Please give generously if you can.”
To donate directly to the Rainbow Fund, http://localgiving.com/charity/rainbowfund
